


Vertigo (don't make me look at you)

by GreyPigeon



Category: Persona 5
Genre: 2/2 Fic, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, shuake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29161254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyPigeon/pseuds/GreyPigeon
Summary: ...The few minutes before Odaiba collapses.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38





	Vertigo (don't make me look at you)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The Miss Paramount (Hanamuraki)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanamuraki/gifts).



> 2/2 hits hard man...
> 
> Written as a thank you. :) For [The Miss Paramount (Hanamuraki)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanamuraki/pseuds/The%20Miss%20Paramount) . Thank you for all your kind words, for sharing ideas, and mutual hunger for angst. I wish you all the Marukis out there.

**~*~**

Monacopter hovered for a longer while, buoying in the air, allowing for Joker and Maruki to safely land on the ground. The doctor let go of the rope ungracefully; he landed on his knees and rolled away to remain motionless and curled on the concrete. Joker let him breathe; he hopped down and immediately took a few steps away, grunting at the exertion and rotating his shoulder, almost pulled out of the socket. The aircraft flew further away, then sat slowly and heavily on the ground, with a weird, almost cat-like groan.

The Phantom Thieves poured out of the cramped cabin as fast as they could and Ryuji ran towards Ren to crush him in an embrace. 

“I’m alright, I’m OK,” Jokes grinned when he felt the air in his lungs again. “All’s well.”

“Dude, you have a weird fetish of _dramatically falling from heights_. I fucking hate it. Stop doing that!”

Ren laughed, already surrounded by the others. “No more, I promise,” he managed before Futaba wrapped her arms around his neck.

“...How is he?” Haru’s voice drew Ren’s attention, and he glanced towards where she was pointing. Maruki was lying on the concrete, listlessly staring at the skies. 

A clangor of another chunk of the Lab collapsing in the distance made them flinch; Maruki didn’t react, ignoring the shattering of glass and the moan of steel bending. The carcass of Odaiba was folding under the weight of its own rubble.

Yusuke sighed silently and stepped away from the group to kneel next to the counsellor. “Maruki-san. Come, I’ll help you up.”

In the distance, Mona regained the usual form and started running towards them. Above the heads of everyone else, crowding him in place and trying to hug or pat his shoulder, Joker saw the black, lonely silhouette of Crow opening the visor of his helmet. 

“The Metaverse is dissolving,” Mona squeaked, jumping into Ann’s arms; she held him up so that he was eye level with the rest of the group. “We should move! Activate the Nav, Joker!”

“So that’s it, then...?” Ryuji moaned, clearly disappointed. “We’re never gonna do it again, right?” 

“I think so,” Makoto looked at her own outfit, full battle gear minus the mask. Will they ever be able to connect with their Personas ever again...? Will they ever be _themselves_ again? Is the whisper of rebellion in their hearts obsolete now? 

“I hoped I would be able to experience some more of this feeling…” Sumire sighed. “I have just discovered it, and now… Oh well. But we’ve done an amazing job! All of us. Now… it is time for us to go back.” She looked up at the pristine, fluffy snowflakes, whirling across the skies in an erratic dance. Other voices chimed in, agreeing, the Thieves murmured wistfully one by one and soaked up the last moments before the Metaverse was no more. Yusuke pulled Maruki up to his feet, supported him, or else he’d fall again. 

Akechi wasn’t looking at them.

“Don’t make it harder for me, just activate that damn thing,” he spoke harshly, seeing Ren approach. 

Ren swallowed past the lump in his throat, forced himself to give out a chuckle. “So it is hard, after all.”

Akechi smirked.

“Imagine that, huh?” He avoided Ren’s eyes. 

“Nerves?”

“Mhm.” Goro wouldn’t look at him. “Funny, I’ve done this before.”

Ren stifled a laugh, grit his teeth. “Stage fright,” he said flippantly, and Akechi snorted with bitter amusement. 

“Joker! Crow! Come on, we’re all ready!” Mona yelled from where Ann was standing. Ryuji came to Yusuke’s aid, propping Maruki up on one shoulder, too. The Thieves surrounded them, a colorful, merry group of friends, huddled together. “There isn’t much time, the Palace is collapsing!”

Akechi shuddered. It was probably just the wind. 

“Go. Don’t make me look at you,” He said dismissively. “...I’m right behind you, Joker.”

Ren exhaled and forced himself to move. His whole body felt heavy, the steps he took were like trudging through melted concrete. His mind screamed as his hand moved to his pocket to automatically go through the motions; it wasn’t his body that moved, it wasn’t his limb holding the phone, it wasn’t him pressing the icon of the Meta-Nav. It was unreal, unreal, _not happening_. Ren wanted to look back. He knew he shouldn’t. He locked his eyes with Maruki instead.

The last pull of the Metaverse was weak. Just a feeble tug around his middle, and then the landscape blurred, gravity shifted and reddish blotches appeared at the periphery of his vision. Ren kept his head upright, looking straight ahead, into the depths of Maruki’s gaze.

He saw the sterile, bright light of Odaiba die in his eyes.


End file.
